And just at that moment his eye rested upon them--ay, and recognised them at a glance. An arrow passing through his heart could not have inflicted keener pain. A sharp, half-stifled scream escaped his lips-- the only sign of suffering the ear might detect. He was silent from that moment. His hard quick breathing alone told that he lived. He did not faint or fall. He did not retreat from the window. He stood like a statue in the position he had first taken, hugging the wall with his breast, to steady himself. His eyes remained fixed on the group, and fixed too in their sockets, as if glued there! Roblado and Vizcarra, in the centre of the square, enjoyed their triumph. They saw him at the embrasure. He saw not them. He had for the moment forgotten that they existed. At a signal the bell rang in the tower of the parroquia, and then ceased. This was the cue for commencing the horrid ceremony. The black drivers led their animals from the wall, and, heading them in a direction parallel to one side of the Plaza, stood still. The faces of the women were now turned partially to the crowd, but their dishevelled hair sufficiently concealed them. The padres approached. Each selected one. They mumbled a few unintelligible phrases in the ears of their victims, flourished the crucifix before their faces, and then, retiring a step, muttered some directions to the two ruffians in the rear. These with ready alacrity took up their cue, gathered the thick ends of their cuartos around their wrists, and plied the lash upon the naked hacks of the women. The strokes were deliberate and measured--they were counted! Each seemed to leave its separate weal upon the skin. Upon the younger female they were more conspicuous--not that they had been delivered with greater severity, but upon the softer, whiter, and more tender skin, the purple lines appeared plainer by contrast. Strange that neither cried out. The girl writhed, and uttered a low whimpering, but no scream escaped her lips. As for the old woman, she remained quite motionless--no sign told that she suffered! When ten lashes each had been administered, a voice from the centre of the Plaza cried out-- "_Basta por la nina_!" (Enough for the girl.) The crowd echoed this; and he, whose office it was to flog the younger female, rolled up his cuarto and desisted. The other went on until twenty-five lashes were told off. A band of music now struck up. The asses were d along the side of the square, and halted at the next corner. The music stopped. The padres again went through their mumbling ceremony. The executioners performed their part--only one of them this time--as by the voice of the crowd the younger female was spared the lash, though she was still kept in her degraded and shameful position.